On March 11th 2020, World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The virus still continues to wreak havoc globally however, there has been overwhelming unity to fight this war against humanity.
With many international airports and most cities deserted, normal life is has been disrupted. The common goal right now and the only business is COVID-19 and how to help flatten the curve.
This is what some brands in the luxury industry and some philanthropists are doing to help fight COVID-19 pandemic in solidarity with the rest of the globe
In South Africa The Johann Rupert and Nicky Oppenheimer families have contributed R1 billion each to the solidarity Fund to help South African small businesses and their workers cope with Covid-19 disaster and the impending lockdown. You can contribute to the fund by visiting www.solidarityfund.co.za. 
Corporate South Africa in the fight against Coronavirus too and businesses are joining hands in fighting against the virus which has spread to the nine provinces of the country.
Telkom on Sunday announced that it has pledged R15 million to bolster South Africa’s primary healthcare efforts in the battle against Covid-19. Telkom Group Chief Executive Sipho Maseko said the funds will be used to support healthcare workers who are at the frontline of the battle against the spread of Covid-19.
Standard Bank of South Africa donated R750 000 towards the fight against the deadly novel coronavirus Standard Bank chief executive Sim Tshabalala said although there was a considerable need for financial injections in South Africa, companies could not fold their hands during a global health pandemic.
In Nigeria the Aliko Dangote Foundation pledged over 200M Naira to support Nigeria’s health authorities to combat the spread of the pandemic. Zouera Youssoufou, Managing Director and CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation disclosed while speaking to CNBC Africa’s Kenneth Igbomor.
Global Brands have also contribute to the call with Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma donating testing kits, masks and protective suits to all countries in Africa. 
Ethiopian Airlines will deliver the coronavirus test kits.
Internationally LVMH donated $2.2 million to the Red Cross in China but has not stopped the fight against the coronavirus. The company announced that it would utilise its luxury perfume and cosmetics factories to produce free sanitizing gel for local hospitals and authorities in France. The move has inspired other luxury businesses to follow suit.
Italian fashion entrepreneur Chiara Ferragni launched her own online fundraising campaign and has already raised more than $4 million for Italian hospitals.
Prada S.p.A. announced that the company would be funding two new ICUs in three of Milan’s hospitals: Sacco, San Raffaele, and Vittore Buzzi.
Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck have pledged more than $200,000 to the intensive care units of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan.
Bulgari has contributed to the research department at the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome, which was working to purchase a microscopic image acquisition system to help fight and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Giorgio Armani has donated nearly $1.4 million to various hospitals around Italy, namely those larger establishments in Rome and Milan.
Marco Bizzarri, the chief executive officer of Gucci, personally gave more than $100,000 to hospitals in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Italy which has some of the highest numbers of infected coronavirus patients.
Sergio Rossi also donated more than $100,000 to local Milan hospitals Fatebenefratelli and Luigi Sacco.
Renzo Rosso’s Only The Brave Foundation shared an Instagram asking followers to donate directly to the foundation so that they can distribute funds to smaller, more localized community organizations.
Some celebrities have taken initiative to be part of the solution. The Clara Lionel Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded by Rihanna, announced this weekend that it is donating $5 million to COVID-19 efforts across the globe.
Singer Ciara and husband @Russell Wilson have donated one million meals to Food Lifeline, which provides “food to more than 300 food banks, shelters and meal programs across Western Washington.”
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds pledged $1 million to food banks in the U.S. and Canada that are currently overwhelmed with demand.
Lady Gaga’s beauty brand, Haus Labs, announced it will be donating 20 per cent of the previous week’s online profits to food banks in Los Angeles and New York City.
Justin Bieber took to Instagram to announce that he was donating $29,000 to the Beijing Chunmiao Charity Foundation, a Chinese-based children’s charity.
Kristen Bell has committed to donate to an organisation that works with children.
The NBA’s decision to postpone the upcoming season has made a number of teams and players pledge to donate to COVID-19 relief efforts.
COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc globally we must all be part of the solution and follow The WHO guidelines. #covid19, #coronavirus, #pandemic, #luxury, #philanthropists.
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